The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to a dynamic, intelligence-driven and technology-enabled approach to tackling asymmetric threats confronting Nigeria’s national security.
Lieutenant General Shaibu made the assertion on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, while delivering a strategic lecture titled “Combating Asymmetric Threats to National Security in Nigeria: The Nigerian Army in Perspective” to participants of Course 34 at the National Defence College.
In a statement issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS noted that the global security environment has shifted significantly from conventional, state-centric warfare to complex intra-state conflicts driven largely by non-state actors. These include terrorists, insurgents, bandits, cybercriminals and transnational organised crime networks that exploit governance gaps, social vulnerabilities and emerging technologies.
According to him, this evolving threat landscape has necessitated a deliberate recalibration of the Nigerian Army’s operational doctrine, force posture and employment of capabilities through a comprehensive multi-domain strategy. The approach, he explained, combines decisive kinetic operations with intelligence fusion, inter-agency collaboration, joint operations with sister services and sustained international partnerships.
“Asymmetric threats thrive on adaptability, anonymity and the targeting of civilians to erode public confidence and state authority. Our response must therefore be equally adaptive, proactive, intelligence-led and collaborative,” the COAS said.
Lieutenant General Shaibu outlined how Army operations across Nigeria’s geo-political zones are tailored to prevailing threat dynamics. In the North-East, sustained counter-insurgency operations continue to degrade terrorist capabilities through offensive manoeuvres, intelligence-driven strikes and population-centric stabilisation efforts. In the North-West, intensified joint operations have disrupted bandit logistics and financing networks while enhancing the protection of vulnerable communities. He added that in the North-Central region, stabilisation efforts are focused on area domination, civilian protection and the containment of communal and militia-related violence.
The COAS also highlighted the impact of advanced technologies, improved training and deeper jointness with sister services in enhancing situational awareness, operational reach and mission effectiveness. He stressed that modern national security extends beyond territorial defence to include economic security, cyber resilience, environmental stability and human security.
He emphasised that lasting peace can only be achieved when military efforts are complemented by effective governance, justice delivery and inclusive socio-economic development.
Addressing participants of NDC Course 34, whom he described as Nigeria’s future strategic and operational leaders, Lieutenant General Shaibu urged them to adopt integrated and forward-looking security frameworks that address both the symptoms and root causes of conflict.
He reassured Nigerians of the Nigerian Army’s unwavering resolve to defend national sovereignty, protect lives and property, and secure critical national infrastructure amid evolving security challenges.
